Tools: Gimp, gimp plugins/scripts: anitools by Lars, combine with background by Saulgoode, all layers to image size by RobA

I'm on mobile so this comes from memory, only thing I can' t remember is anitools location in menu.

Open gif and signature image. Unoptimize gif (filters>animation) and convert it to RGB mode from image menu.Copy/paste signature as new layer to gif image, place that layer to bottom.Resize canvas to your liking, menu>layer>all layers to image size.Activate bottom layer by selecting it, then Filters>animation>combine with background.Delete the bottom layer.Filters>animation>optimize gif.Change frame timings to what You like by typing them to layer attributes: (80ms) (combine) or use anitools plugin/script.File>export, select gif and tick animation box.

Creating smooth animated good-looking sig requires lot of optimizing to get under 80kb.

Graven

Which part did You not get?I use Gimp to animate, combining a background with gif ani like spinning logo takes half a minute. You need patience if You want to do anything, it does not happen in single click.

FCortez

So make a gif, upload it to a website like Imageshack, copy the BBCode (that's the one with the commands ) and put it in your sig.(and don't forget to make it the apropriate size as specified in the forum rules)

Step 3: Open your GIF image. When you open your GIF image, you HAVE to use File > Import > Video Frames To Layers; otherwise you can't adjust the individual frames in the GIF if you need to.

You'll be presented with an option to select certain parameters such as length of the GIF. Since we'll be using the entire GIF file, make sure "From Beginning To End" is chosen. Also, make sure "Make Frame Animation" is checked.

Step 4: Find the canvas size of the static image. With the static image selected, go to Image > Canvas Size. I prefer my information in pixels for digital work, so I switched the selector over. By default it is in inches.

Step 5: Now, we are going to be expanding the canvas size of the GIF to fit the static image and put it "behind" it. The GIF is actually going to be sitting on top of the static image. First, expand your timeline. This gives you easy access to each frame animation in the GIF file. Select your static image and using the Rectangular Marquee Tool, Select the entire image and then Edit > Copy.

Step 6: Now we have to adjust the canvas size of the GIF image to fit the static image into it. Image > Canvas Size (switch to pixels again), and put in the new canvas size. In this case, it will be 800 pixels wide by 500 pixels tall.

You will now notice you have transparency all around the GIF image. That's because there is nothing there... Yet.

Step 7: Paste the static image into the GIF. With the GIF selected, go to Edit > Paste. Now you'll see the static image pasted into the GIF. However, you'll notice the GIF isn't visible. We need to fix that. If you look on the right side in the picture below, you'll see the static image is above one of the layers in the animation. Each layer is one frame of the animation, so we need the frame of the static image to be the one on the bottom.

Step 8: All you have to do is drag the layer to the bottom by clicking & dragging it to the bottom. Now you'll see the animation sitting above it.

However, if you hit the preview button (The play button in your timeline), the static image will only be present for one frame and then disappear. To fix this, Select the static image layer and click on the Unify Layer Visibility icon (an eye with chain link under it). This makes the layer visible through the entire GIF. When you click the button, a pop-up message will appear asking if you want to make the visibility in other frames match the current. That's what we want, of course, so click on "Match".

Step 9: Save! Once you've previewed and like what you see, Go to File > Save For Web and save as you need to. Adjusting color amount and so on will adjust image quality and image file-size.